FLAGSHIP NORWAY

Your signature Norway adventure begins in Alesund, whose Art Nouveau architecture makes it one of the most recognisable and attractive cities in the country. Gutted by fire in 1904, the city was rebuilt in the Jugendstil style for which it is famous today, and the buildings were painted in pastel colours. The story of the city’s architectural rebirth is told at the Jugendstil Senteret, while the acclaimed Sunnmore Museum documents the city’s more distant past with a collection of historic boats, including a trading vessel from 1000 AD and replicas of Viking boats.

A little further out from the town centre, Atlanterhavsparken is a fantastic aquarium where the vibrant wildlife of the North Atlantic coast and the famous fjords is documented.

You’ll spend two nights at Hotel Brosundet, a stylish and luxurious hotel right on the waterfront in a renovated Art Nouveau warehouse.

Next, you’ll take a private boat transfer to the Norangsfjorden and Hotel Union Oye, where you’ll spend the next night. A regal hotel, with dark wood walls and antique furnishings, it’s not difficult to see why this has been a favourite of royals and celebrities since its opening in 1891 - esteemed former guests include Kaiser Wilhelm, Edvard Grieg and Henrik Ibsen, who among others lend their names to the opulent suites.

However beautiful the hotel, the main draw remains the environment, and there’s a range of options for exploring it by land and sea. Boat trips allow you to experience the breath-taking Geirangerfjord, which is one of Norway’s most beautiful fjords and among the country’s most-visited sites.

Renting a bike is a great way to experience the nearby Norangsdalen, often described as the most beautiful valley in Norway, or you can take to the air in a helicopter and experience the fjords from a bird’s-eye perspective. If you’re feeling fit, an all-day hike to the top of nearby mountain Slogen is well worth it for the view. Throughout the summer there are daily guided boat trips along the Hjorundford and wildlife sea safaris, where you can spot seals, eagles and puffins on a high speed RIB.

Departing Hotel Union Oye, you’ll take a private transfer along the Trollstigen - a serpentine mountain road renowned for its hairpin bends and dramatic views - to your next stop, the village of Alstad. A rural village in the Valldal Valley on the north-west coast of Norway, Alstad is set amid a stunning landscape of water and forest on the banks of the river Valdolla.

You’ll spend two nights at the stunning Juvet Landscape Hotel, where designer pods of wood and glass hang in the trees, and huge glass windows offer a totally immersive forest accommodation experience. The environment comes alive in the summer, which is a beautiful time to for rafting, fjord fishing, climbing and canyoning. Excursions can be arranged to the mountain peak of Fjora, which offers beautiful views over the Valldal Valley, and the historic village of Tafjord, which is only accessible via mountain tunnels - its isolated location means it has unique weather patterns, meaning it holds several records as the warmest place in Norway. In the winter, the entire area becomes blanketed in snow, and is great for mountain and cross-country skiing.

After two nights in Alstad, you’ll be transferred to Storfjord for the final stop on your Norwegian adventure. Storfjord Hotel, your home for the next two nights, is a beautiful, secluded boutique hotel on a forested hillside overlooking the Storfjord itself. Boat trips depart regularly to experience the fjord, as do wildlife safaris along the coast, while the woods and streams around the hotel are ripe for exploration and feature several hiking trails.

As well as taking in the scenery, you can get a taste for some local culture on a gourmet food tour, where you’ll learn about traditional regional cuisine at a farm in Glomset and learn how to bake flatbreads and kringle pretzels. After two nights at Storfjord, your Signature Norway adventure comes to an end, and you’ll be transferred by helicopter back to Alesund for your flight home, taking in the beautiful fjords and mountains below en route - the perfect way to end your journey.